HC Deb 20 June 1990 vol 174 cc601-2W
Mr. Andrew MacKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

Mr. Eggar

In May 1990, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom was 1,611,000, about half the July 1986 level.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing(a) employment by industry and ethnic origin, (b) employment by broad occupation, ethnic origin and sex and (c) unemployment rate by ethnic origin for the earliest available date on a comparative basis with tables 4, 5 and 8 in the Employment Gazette, March 1990.

Mr. Nicholls

Earlier labour force survey analyses by ethnic origin and industry and by ethnic origin, sex and broad occupation are available for 1985–87 and 1984–86 inEmployment Gazette, December 1988, pages 637–8 (tables 4 and 5) and March 1988, pages 168–9 (tables 4 and 5). Unemployment rates by ethnic origin are given since 1984 on a consistent basis, using the ILO definition of unemployment with a four-week job search period, in table 8 quoted; but information for 1984, 1983 and 1981, using the previous labour force definition of unemployment with a one-week job search period is given in Employment Gazette, March 1988, page 173 (table 8) and June 1984, page 263 (tables 1 and 3). Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Riddick

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the most recent unemployment figures for the Colne Valley constituency; and what were the comparable figures in the same month five years earlier.

Mr. Nicholls

In May 1990, on an adjustable basis, there were 1,819 unemployed claimants in the Colne Valley parliamentary constituency, a fall of 2,154, or 54 per cent. compared with May 1985.

Mr. Skinner

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures; what were the figures in May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

In May 1990, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom was 1,611,000, compared with 1,088,500 in May 1979. There are now over 1½ million more jobs than in 1979 and unemployment is about half of what it was at its peak in July 1986.